Ruffle ironing attachment for flatirons



E. R. LOWE Aprii 17, 1951 RUFFLE IRONING ATTACHMENT 0K FLATIRONS Filed Nbv. 2:5, 194a Patented Apr. 17. 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BUFFLE-I-RONING ATTACHMENT FOR FLATIBONS Earl R. Lowe, Oaklawn, 111.

Application November 23, l948, Serial No. 61,536

10 Claims. 1.

The present invention. relates; to a ruffle iron.- ing attachment for fiatirons. Itv is an object of the invention to provide an attachment for a flatiron adapted for ironing ruffles and which is simple in construction, economical of manufacture, and reliable and. efficient in operation.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a rufile ironing attachment fora flatiron which greatly simplifies and facilitates the formerly very tedious procedure of ironing ruffles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ruffle ironing attachment for a flatiron which may be readily attached to and disconnected from the flatiron.

A further objectis to provide such a ruffle iron.- ing attachment adapted to abut the. sole plate of the flatiron and, be heated therefrom by conduction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ruffle ironing attachment fora flatiron including a. standard, a rufile ironing eleme t. and means for gripping. and. supporting the fiatiron in predetermined relation relative to the ruffle ironing elements, whereby the latter may be heated by conduction from the sole plate of the former.

Other and more detailed. objects of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawings, the following specification and the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure l is aside elevational view of a ruffle ironing attachment embodying the invention and showing in broken lines. an. illustrative flatiron;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the ruflle ironing attachment illustrated in Fig. 1 looking in the .direction of the arrow 2' and showing in broken lines a portion of the associated flatiron;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view ,of the ruiile ironing attachment illustrated in Fig.v 1 looking in the direction of the arrow 3 and illustrating in broken lines a portion of the associated fiatiron and a segment of a ruflle disposed in position to be ironed by the attachment;

Fig. 4. is a side elevational. view, partly in sec.- tion, of a modifiedform .of the inventionshowing in broken lines an illustrative fl-atiron; and.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of. the construction illustrated in Fig. .4 looking in the direction of the arrow 5.

Referring to the drawing, and. particularly to Figs. 1 to 3 thereof, the rufile ironing attachment I0 there illustrated is adapted. for attachment to and. use with a conventionalflati ron I2 which, it will be appreciated from. a complete understanding. of the invention. may be heated. else:-

trically or in any other suitable manner. The rufile ironing attachment I0 comprises a base portion I2 having a flat surface I4 on one side thereof adapted to engage the bottom of the sole plate I6 of the fiatiron I2 and have a substantial area contact therewith for heating the attachment' from the sole plate. of the flatiron by conduction. At the opposite side of the base portion I2 from the surface I4 is an integrally formed outwardly projecting body portion l8 projecting generally at right angles: to the surface I4 and converging toward itsv outer end 20. The attachment I0 maybe cast of. aluminum or other suitable material and. is adapted for ironing ruflles and the like by polishing the outer surface of the body portion I8.

Attaching brackets 22 are integrally formed on the base portion I2 at opposite edges of the surface I4. These brackets 22 are spaced to receive a portion of thesole plate I6 of the fiatiron therebetween and are tapped to threadedly mount screws 24 adapted. to engage the opposite lateral edges 26 of the sole plate I6 to clamp the attachment In to the ilatiron I2 and maintain a full contact between the surface I4 on the base portion I2 of the attachment and the bottom surface of the sole plate iii of theflatiron. As best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5, the sole plates of fiatirons are generally triangular in shape and are formed with the opposite lateral edges 26 beveled to taper from a maximum dimension at the bottom. surface of the sole plate to a minimum at the upper or inner surface of the sole plate. It will now be appreciated that, because of this formation of the lateral edges 26 of the sole plate l.6, the tightening of the screws 24 holds the surface I .4- of the attachment firmly in contact with the bottom surface of the soleplate I6, which insures maximum. heat conduction. from the sole plate to the attachment Ill, and prevents the latter from being pulled from the flatiron I2 during use...

When it is desired to use the attachment I0, the flatiron I2 is. stood up on its heel in the posi-.

. tion illustrated in Fig. 1, which it will be appreciaated. is the normal position of the iron during periods. of non-use, and the surface I4 of the attachment is placed in contact with the bottom surface of the sole plate I6 adjacent its upper pointed end. The attachment I0 is then moved downwardly along the sole plate It until the screws 24 engage the outwardly diverging lateral edges-2.6 and the attachment assumes the position illustrated. in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The attachment may finally be secured in place by holding the surface [4 securely against the bottom surface of the sole plate [6 and tightening the screws 24 against the lateral edges 26 of the sole plate 16. It will be appreciated that when the screws 24 are properly adjusted for securing the ruflie ironing attachment H! to a particular flatiron 12, the attachment 10 may be readily applied to the flatiron l2 simply by placing the surface 14 in contact with the bottom surface of the sole plate of the fiatiron adjacent the pointed end and sliding the attachment Ill downwardly, while maintaining these surfaces firmly in contact, until the sole plate [6 is firmly wedged between the screws 24.

In ironing ruflies on the attachment I it will be appreciated that the rufile 28 is held in the hands of the operator with the outer end 28 of the attachment projecting toward the gathered portion of the ruffle and the flared portion of the rufile is presesd down over the body portion l8, as illustrated in broken lines in Fig. 3, and moved laterally back and forth across the body portion l8.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate a modified form of the invention in which a rufile ironing element 38' generally corresponding to the above described rufile ironing attachment I0 is independently supported upon a rectangular frame or standard 32. The standard 32 is supported upon legs 34 secured to the standard or frame 32 by screws 36 and formed of suitable heat-insulating material. The standard 32 carries a pair of arms 38 at opposite sides thereof and the rufile ironing element 30 is secured to the upper ends of these arms 38 by screws .8. To reduce the heat transmitted from the rufile ironing element 30 to the standard 32 suitable insulation 42 is preferably provided between the rufile ironing element 30 and the arms 38.

The rufile ironing element 30 differs from the rufile ironing attachment l8 illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in two respects; first, the base portion 42 thereof is adapted for connection to the supporting arms 38 of the standard 32 by the screws 40, and, second, the base portion 42 is provided with a pair of spaced tapped openings 44 permitting the attachment of a shield 46 by means of screws 48.

The shield 46 is formed of heat insulating material to protect the hands of the operator from the heat of the sole plate of the flatiron and also to prevent burns which might otherwise result from inadvertent contact between the hands of the operator and the sole plate of the flatiron.

Also, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, in the ruffle ironing attachment there illustrated the flatiron is disposed in inverted position relative to that illustrated in Fig. 1, namely, with the point of the sole plate projecting downwardly and with the heel of the iron uppermost, and the flatiron is supported on the attachment rather than vice versa. In this construction, the sole plate of the flatiron is gripped between the screws 50, corresponding to the screws 24 in the above described attachment III, in the same manner as in the case of the attachment [8 and the flatiron is supported on the base portion 42 of the element 30, which is in turn supported, through the arms 38, on the standard 32.

While only two embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that numerous modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A rufile ironing attachment for a flat iron having a sole plate, said attachment comprising a base portion adapted to have a substantial area contact with said sole plate, means mounted on said base portion adapted to engage said flatiron to maintain said attachment in predetermined relation to said flatiron, said attachment having a body portion adapted to project outwardly from said sole plate generally at right angles thereto and having a smoothly curved ironing surface adapted for ironing rufiles and the like. said attachment being adapted to absorb heat from said sole plate and transmit it to said body portion of said attachment.

2. A ruffle ironing attachment for a fiatiron having a sole plate, said attachment comprising a base portion adapted to have a substantial area contact with said sole plate, means mounted on said base portion at opposite sides thereof adapted to engage said sole plate to maintain said attachment in predetermined relation to said flatiron, said attachment having a body portion adapted to project outwardly from and generally perpendicular to said sole plate and having a smoothly curved ironing surface adapted for ironing ruffles and the like, said attachment being adapted to absorb heat from said sole plate and transmit it to said body portion of said attachment.

3. A rufile ironing attachment for a flatiron having a sole plate, said atttachment comprising a base portion adapted to have a substantial area contact with said sole plate, a pair of spaced brackets on said base portion and means mounted on said brackets adapted to grip opposite edges of said sole plate to maintain said attachment in predetermined relation to said flatiron, said attachment having a body portion adapted to pro ject outwardly from and generally perpendicular to said sole plate and having a smoothly curved ironing surface adapted for ironing rufiles and the like, said attachment being adapted to absorb heat from said sole plate and transmit it to said body portion of said attachment.

4. A rufile ironing attachment for a flatiron having a sole plate, said attachment comprising a base portion adapted to have a substantial area contact with said sole plate, a pair of spaced brackets on said base portion and a pair of opposed screws threadedly mounted in said brackets and adapted to engage opposite edges of said sole plate to clamp said attachment to said flat iron and maintain it in predetermined relation relative thereto, said attachment having a body portion, said attachment being adapted to absorb heat from said sole plate and transmit it to said body portion of said attachment.

5.'A ruffle ironing attachment for a flatiron having a sole plate, said attachment comprising a base portion adapted to have a substantial area contact with said sole plate, means mounted on said base portion adapted to engage said flatiron to maintain said attachment in predetermined relation to said fiatiron, said'attachment having a body portion adapted to project outwardly from and generally perpendicular to said sole plate and adapted for ironing ruffies and the like, said body portion converging toward its outer end which is adapted to project toward the gathered portion of the rufile during the ironing of the latter, said attachment being adapted to absorb heat from said sole plate and transmit it to said body portion of said attachment.

6. A ruffle ironing attachment for a flatiron having a sole'plate, said attachment comprising a base portion adapted to have a substantial area contact with said sole plate, means mounted on said base portion adapted to engage said flatiron to maintain said attachment in predetermined relation to said flatiron, said attachment having a body portion integral with said base portion adapted to project toward the gathered portion of the ruflie during the ironing of the latter, said attachment being adapted to absorb heat from said sole plate and transmit it to said body portion of said attachment.

7. A ruffle ironing attachment for a flatiron having a sole plate, said attachment comprising a base portion adapted to have a substantial area contact with said sole plate, means mounted on said base portion adapted to engage said flatiron to maintain said attachment in predetermined relation to said flatiron, said attachment having a body portion adapted to project outwardly from and generally perpendici lar to said sole plate and adapted for ironing ruiiies and the like, said attachment being adapted to absorb heat from said sole plate and transmit it to said body portion of said attachment, and shield means mounted on said base portion and surrounding said body portion for preventing inadvertent contact of the operators hand with the sole plate of the flatiron during the use of the ruffle ironing attachment.

8. A ruffle ironing attachment for a flatiron having a sole plate, said attachment comprising a standard, a ruflle ironing element having a base portion adapted to have a substantial area contact with said sole plate and a body portion adapted to project outwardly from and generally perpendicular to said sole plate and adapted for ironing rufiles, means mounting said element on said standard, and means adapted to engage and support said flatiron in predetermined relation to said element whereby said attachment may absorb heat from said sole plate and transmit it to said body portion of said element.

9. A ruflie ironing attachment for a flatiron having a sole plate, said attachment comprising a standard, a rufile ironing element having a base portion adapted to have a substantial area contact with said sole plate and a body portion adapted to project outwardly from and generally perpendicular to said sole plate and adapted for ironing ruiiles, means mounting said element on said standard, and means on said base portion of said element adapted to grip said sole plate to support said flatiron in predetermined relation to said element whereby said attachment may absorb heat from said sole plate and transmit it to said body portion of said element.

10. A rufile ironing attachment for a flatiron having a sole plate, said attachment comprising a standard, a ruflie ironing element having a base portion adapted to have a substantial area contact with said sole plate and a body portion adapted to project outwardly from and generally perpendicular to said sole plate and adapted for ironing rufiles, means mounting said element on said standard, means adapted to engage and support said flatiron in predetermined relation to said element whereby said attachment may absorb heat from said sole plate and transmit it to said body portion of said element, and shield means mounted in said attachment and surrounding said body portion of said element for preventing inadvertent contact of the operators hand with the sole plate of the flatiron during the use of the ruiile ironing attachment.

' EARL R. LOWE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

